Politics
UN pushes for breakthrough in upcoming Cyprus peace talks
The United Nations is seeking a breakthrough as rival leaders on the island of Cyprus prepare to meet in New York next week for a renewed attempt to revive stalled peace talks, a U.N. envoy said Monday.
Maria Angela Holguin held separate meetings with Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar, crossing the island’s U.N.-patrolled cease-fire line in a day of shuttle diplomacy.
“All this effort the U.N. is doing is for the prosperity of the island, so that the people have a better life,” Holguin, who was appointed the U.N. envoy to Cyprus earlier this year, told reporters after meeting Tatar.
“And we continue to work, the commitment of the U.N. is totally for that, so we hope the leaders can think about that, and we have results next week.”
The meetings are part of preparations for talks in New York on July 16-17, where U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is due to meet both leaders.
They followed a meeting in Geneva in March, which marked the first meaningful progress in years.
At that gathering, both sides agreed on a set of confidence-building measures, including opening more crossing points across the divide, cooperating on solar energy and removing land mines – steps Guterres described as reflecting a “new atmosphere” and renewed urgency.
“I hope we are going to have many advances on the measures they decided in March,” said Holguin.
Cyprus has been mired for decades in a dispute between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the U.N. to achieve a comprehensive settlement.
Ethnic attacks starting in the early 1960s forced Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety. In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at Greece’s annexation led to Türkiye’s military intervention as a guarantor power to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence. As a result, the TRNC was founded in 1983. The country is fully recognized only by Türkiye, which does not recognize the Greek Cypriot administration in the south.
The internationally recognized Greek Cypriot administration, a member of the European Union, controls the island’s majority Greek Cypriot south.
The last major round of peace talks collapsed in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, in July 2017.
High-tech push for the missing
Meanwhile, a U.N.-backed commission investigating mass disappearances in Cyprus is deploying AI and ground-penetrating radars to expedite the chances of finding the remains of people who vanished in the past conflict.
The Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) leads a team of archaeologists, anthropologists and geneticists to help ascertain the fate of 2,002 people who went missing during inter-ethnic strife in the 1960s and the Turkish operation that followed a Greek-inspired coup in 1974. Many were killed and buried in unmarked graves across the island.
Relying heavily on witnesses who are assured anonymity, the exhumation and identification of victims have waned in recent years, in part because of discrepancies in witness accounts, the passage of time and rapidly changing landscapes.
“We plan to enhance our capacities to find answers through new technologies,” said Pierre Gentile, the U.N. representative on the CMP, which also includes a Greek Cypriot and a Turkish Cypriot representative.
Gentile said the CMP would use artificial intelligence to scour digitalized archives for new lines of inquiry and would consider further use of ground-penetrating radars to help find burial areas.
Established in 1981, the CMP started looking for mass graves around 2006. By the end of June 2025, it had located and exhumed 1,707 individuals, with 1,270 remains returned to their families for burial by May 2025.
Although missing persons remain one of the most sensitive issues stemming from Cyprus’s division, it is also one of the few areas where Greek and Turkish Cypriots work together on a common humanitarian goal.
“It is a very delicate humanitarian issue, and the work we are doing is holy,” said Hakki Muftuzade, the Turkish Cypriot CMP representative. “We are fully aware of the duty we have to fulfil,” he said.
Commenting on Sunday on plans for a new “solution plan” for divided Cyprus, Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ünal Üstel said the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was in the same place as it was in the past. “We won’t give even a piece of rock to Greek Cypriots. We won’t give land, won’t abandon our homeland, our state, and our flag.”
According to a report in the Greek Cypriot press, the solution model discussed during the recent contacts of the U.N. secretary-general’s personal envoy for Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, does not envisage a return to the “heavy federation” concept that had been discussed in previous years. It was claimed that the model under discussion is a “loose federation” approach aimed at reconciling the Greek Cypriot side’s position of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with the Turkish Cypriot side’s demands for sovereign equality and equal international status under a single framework.
The report stated that the proposed structure could be described by Greek Cypriots as a federation and by Turkish Cypriots as a confederation. It further alleged that the discussions centered on the previously debated concept of “territory in exchange for recognition and political equality.” Within this framework, it was suggested that areas such as Varosha, Morphou (Güzelyurt), and the Mesaoria region were included in various scenarios, similar to the maps discussed during the Crans-Montana process. In return, it was reportedly intended that the political equality of the Turkish Cypriot side would be recognized not merely verbally but in a functional manner within the state mechanism.
The report further claimed that the model envisages a state structure shaped by loose ties between two constituent states. Unlike previous federal proposals that included approximately 120 shared competencies, the new approach reportedly aims to significantly reduce common powers, leaving most day-to-day governance to the constituent states. The central authority would be limited to powers necessary for the effective representation of the new state internationally and within the European Union. According to the report, the system under consideration would include two constituent states, two separate legislatures, and a federal structure that would primarily serve a supervisory role for federal matters. Instead of an elected federal parliament, a body resembling the Council of Europe model and composed of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot representatives was allegedly being considered. This body would deal only with matters that the two constituent states could not decide independently. The aim, it was argued, would be to address Greek Cypriot concerns about governmental deadlock caused by veto powers while also alleviating Turkish Cypriot concerns stemming from the Greek Cypriot population majority.
Speaking to Ihlas News Agency (IHA) on Sunday, Üstel stated that the Turkish Cypriot people’s stance on the national cause is clear, saying: “The response that the Turkish Cypriots have always given to these claims is well known around the world. The position and determination put forward in the national cause have created a vision together with the Republic of Türkiye.”
Stating that the Turkish Cypriot people had been engaged in a struggle for existence from 1950 to 1974, Üstel said that during this period the Republic of Türkiye had always stood by the Turkish Cypriots. Üstel noted that from 1974 to the present day, the Turkish Cypriot people had also fought a major struggle in terms of the economy and catching up with the modern world, adding: “Here too, our motherland, the Republic of Türkiye, was always by our side.”
Emphasizing that they introduced a new policy on the national cause in 2020, Üstel said: “After 2020, the federation file has been closed for us. For us, a solution on the island can only be possible based on two states. Two peoples, two states and the sovereign equality of these states are important.” Üstel said that if this framework is not accepted, the Turkish Cypriot people would not say “yes” to any agreement, adding: “I say this on every platform. The governments before me in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, as well as our government, have always said the following: We have only one red line. The guarantor country in this case is Türkiye. We will not and cannot sign any agreement without Türkiye’s effective and de facto guarantee.”
Üstel stated that this stance had been clearly expressed not only by the TRNC but also by the Republic of Türkiye, recalling that Türkiye had called on the world three times at the United Nations General Assembly for the recognition of the TRNC.
Referring to the meeting between Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Representative on Cyprus, Üstel said Fidan’s message was clear.
Üstel said: “The message conveyed by Mr. Hakan Fidan is clear. For us, no agreement can be reached in Cyprus unless the two peoples, the two states, and the sovereign equality and equal international status of these two states are accepted.”
Stating that the claims raised by the Greek Cypriot side were aimed at disturbing the Turkish Cypriot people, Prime Minister Üstel said: “These provocations and statements made by the Greek Cypriot side are causing great unease among our people.”
Emphasizing that the Turkish Cypriot people have maintained the same stance from the past to the present, Üstel pointed to the line established by Dr. Fazıl Küçük, founding President Rauf Raif Denktaş, and honorary National Unity Party (UBP) chairman Dr. Derviş Eroğlu.
Stating that the statements appearing in the Greek Cypriot press were of no validity for the TRNC, Üstel said these claims were related to the election process on the Greek Cypriot side.
“Since the Greek Cypriot side has its own elections coming up, they are putting forward these statements as part of their election preparations. In addition, as the UN Secretary-General is entering the final phase of his term this year, there is an effort to show that the Greek Cypriot side is willing and to introduce a new plan. This is not a plan that can be accepted.”
Emphasizing that the Turkish Cypriot side has always supported negotiations but that talks must take place on the right basis, Üstel said: “The Turkish Cypriots have always said on every platform that they support negotiations taking place and that they are in favor of them. However, they have also stated on every platform that these negotiations must take place on the right basis.”
Drawing attention to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s emphasis on a two-state solution, sovereign equality, and equal international status, Üstel recalled that the two-state solution decision had been unanimously adopted by the Turkish Grand National Assembly and that a similar decision on a two-state solution and sovereign equality had passed by majority vote in the TRNC Assembly.
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said Monday that ending Israel’s military actions against Palestinians would be essential not only for achieving peace in the Middle East but also for ensuring broader global stability.
Speaking at the opening of the NATO Parliamentary Summit in Istanbul, Kurtulmuş said lasting peace could not be achieved without a peaceful Middle East, and that peace in the region was impossible without a just resolution for the Palestinian people.
“The end of these acts of aggression by the Israeli government would not only allow Palestinians to attain peace and tranquility, but would also mean securing world peace,” he said.
Kurtulmuş reiterated Türkiye’s support for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, saying a two-state solution remained the only viable path toward a lasting settlement.
He also urged NATO allies and the wider international community to support diplomatic efforts to end conflicts across the region.
Referring to the recently signed memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States, Kurtulmuş welcomed negotiations launched in Switzerland, expressing hope they would result in “a lasting and just peace,” rather than a temporary ceasefire.
Highlighting Türkiye’s diplomatic role in regional conflicts, Kurtulmuş pointed to Ankara’s mediation efforts that helped facilitate the Black Sea Grain Initiative and multiple prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia.
On defense cooperation, he said Türkiye had significantly strengthened its domestic defense industry and stood ready to share its capabilities with NATO allies.
Kurtulmuş also reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to NATO’s target of allocating 5% of gross domestic product to defense spending while criticizing defense industry restrictions imposed by some allies. He described such embargoes as unilateral, meaningless, and incompatible with the alliance’s principles.
Calling the current international environment a “historic crossroads,” Kurtulmuş urged NATO members to deepen cooperation in support of a more just, equitable, and secure international order.
Evolving into a popular venue for international events, particularly summits, Türkiye takes every opportunity for self-promotion on the side. The upcoming summit of heads of state and governments from NATO member countries is no exception. As the leaders from Donald Trump to Emmanuel Macron will discuss the future of the alliance, they will also have a chance to nibble on Turkish snacks, a favorite pastime of millions of households across Türkiye. Dried and fresh pieces of fruit will be a staple of the tables at the venues of the summit on July 7-8 in the capital Ankara.
2026 is and will be a “year of summits” as Turkish officials often call it, referring to the COP31 climate summit in November, as well as NATO summit and the summit of Organization of Turkic States (OTS). Earlier, Antalya Diplomacy Forum in the eponymous Turkish city brought together top diplomats and politicians from around the world.
The NATO summit, which will be attended by leaders of 31 countries, some 100 ministers, and thousands of representatives, will be a showcase for Turkish hospitality that draws millions of foreign visitors to the country every year. Türkiye strives to host a memorable event for visitors as preparations are in full swing across the capital, from tightened security measures to renovation and expansion of an airport allocated for leaders. Food preparations are no exceptions for the summit, where leaders are not allowed to go on an empty stomach as they will engage in debates over strengthening NATO’s defenses and will try to convince US President Donald Trump to renew and upgrade their commitment to the military alliance.
While they will work hard to persuade the United States on the security of Europe, Türkiye will try to tempt the president with the famed “kuruyemiş”, dried fruit snacks. It is unclear whether Trump will indulge in assorted snacks, from figs from Aydın in western Türkiye, apricots of Malatya, dried grapes of Manisa, pistachios of Gaziantep, hazelnuts from Ordu and Giresun, and chickpeas from Çorum. Still, a large complex in Ankara that sells snacks to Türkiye and the capital wholesale was mobilized for hundreds of kilograms of kuruyemiş for fast-food-loving Trump and European leaders like Macron, who follows a healthier diet compared to the U.S. leader. Muhammet Burak Çiğdem, who heads TÜKSIAD, a business association of dried fruit producers, say Türkiye has a substantial global market share in the sector, and their top export is hazelnut. “We export to Germany, Italy, France, the United States, and China, among others. In terms of taste, pistachios of Gaziantep, for instance, are best in quality across the world. The NATO summit will be an opportunity for us to promote our products,” Çiğdem says.
Turkish recipes
Guests will also be served geographically indicated (GI) products of Türkiye, which expand this inventory every year. Along with the aforementioned figs and apricots, this list of products includes Turkish coffee, Tulum cheese, and baklava.
As for meals, the summit’s participants will be served dishes straight out of a book prepared under the auspices of the Presidency and first lady Emine Erdoğan. “Turkish Cuisine With Centennial Recipes” will be the cookbook of the summit’s chefs.
The first lady, primarily known for her global efforts on recycling through the “Zero Waste” initiative, is also leading in culinary diplomacy and promotion of traditional Turkish cuisine to new generations. Among her work is “Heritage Table” events to promote Ottoman-era and Anatolian flavors, and exhibitions on Turkish food she regularly attends.
Turkish police detained 16 suspects on Friday in the third phase of an investigation into alleged bribery, procurement fraud and zoning irregularities at Istanbul’s Şile Municipality, prosecutors said.
The operation was carried out simultaneously in Istanbul and the western province of Izmir under the coordination of the Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. Investigators said the suspects were linked to alleged irregularities involving direct procurement contracts, zoning procedures, business licenses and occupancy permits, through which public officials allegedly accepted bribes and secured unlawful financial benefits.
The suspects were taken to Istanbul police headquarters for questioning.
The latest operation follows two earlier waves of arrests in the same investigation. In July 2025, Şile Mayor Özgür Kabadayı and five other suspects were detained on accusations including establishing a criminal organization, extortion, bribery and bid rigging. Kabadayı and four others were later arrested, while one suspect was released under judicial supervision.
The Interior Ministry subsequently suspended Kabadayı from office.
A second operation in December 2025 resulted in the detention of 22 additional suspects after investigators reviewed phone records and financial transactions.
Fifteen were later jailed pending trial, while seven were released under judicial supervision.
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is under mounting scrutiny as a wave of corruption, bribery and terrorism-related investigations sweeps across its municipalities.
A series of incidents in June and a debate over an Istanbul mosque demonstrated that an anti-Muslim mindset prevails in Türkiye, though not as strong as it was in the past.
Cases of discrimination, especially against headscarf-wearing women, sparked concerns over a social division that has evolved over decades.
In Mersin, a woman wearing a burkini was denied entry to a swimming pool in the residential complex she lives in. The case triggered a legal investigation, and the pool employee denying access was detained on charges of inciting public hatred and insult.
In another case, a video released on social media by a woman living in Istanbul calling for “destroying headscarf-wearing women” sparked outrage, and the woman was subsequently detained on charges similar to the case in Mersin. Days later, a video of a man harassing two young women over their headscarves at a supermarket in Antalya’s Kaş district emerged. One of the women in the video filed a criminal complaint against the man who was detained later.
Though they seem like isolated incidents, the anti-Muslim sentiment also resurfaced in Zonguldak. A group of people in the northern city staged a protest calling for “secularism to be implemented” after the images of young students celebrating their completion of Quran classes at a ceremony in the city emerged. Similarly, social media was awash with anti-Muslim comments when a video of a group of young girls wearing Muslim outfits as they celebrated completion of Quran courses in the eastern city of Batman surfaced.
These incidents and outrage preceded with a public debate and protests over a mosque planned to be built in Kadıköy, a district on Istanbul’s Asian side. The mosque, currently under construction after a court greenlit it by dismissing opposition, will be a prominent place of worship on the Kadıköy waterfront, a busy quarter of the city home to Ottoman-era and modern mosques. Supporters of the mosque cite the need for bigger mosque in the area whose population has significantly expanded in recent years, while opponents claim it is not necessary and point out “nearby mosques.”
The incidents prompted criticism from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who championed an end to bans targeting Muslims, especially headscarf-wearing women. In a speech last Thursday, Erdoğan reiterated how they have worked to defend the dignity, honor and freedoms of people who have been sidelined and mistreated. He noted that people voted for his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) to ensure that “those who suffered under the oppression of the perpetrators of the Feb. 28 process would never again be subjected to the same tyranny.”
Feb. 28 refers to the 1997 coup and the date powerful military elite issued a stern ultimatum to the government against “reactionary threat,” a derogatory term used to describe conservative Muslims. Before the ultimatum led to the collapse of the government within months, Muslim men and women were targets of a witch hunt by a coalition of elites, from military and judiciary to bureaucracy. Girls wearing headscarfves were barred from attending schools unless they removed their headscarves, while men in the public sector were blacklisted or fired from their jobs for performing prayers or simply growing a beard in the fashion of conservative Muslims. Long after the collapse of the coalition government, those practices continued, with the purpose of excluding practicing Muslims from social spaces. Civil servants lost their jobs for wearing headscarf or praying five times a day as their faith required. A large number of girls, including the daughters of Erdoğan, were among those affected by the bans, forcing to study abroad.
Erdoğan defined the recent incidents as “attempts by voices of arrogance to silence, intimidate and threaten the silent majority.” “We will not allow the revival of an oppressive mindset that still longs for the Feb. 28 era,” he said.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday that Türkiye will remain actively engaged in efforts to resolve tensions between the United States and Iran, while warning that Israeli provocations risk undermining the diplomatic process.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, Fidan stressed that ensuring uninterrupted and permanent freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is essential.
“As Türkiye, we will continue to contribute to the ongoing negotiation process between the United States and Iran. Israel must not be allowed to sabotage these talks, and the international community should remain highly vigilant on this matter,” he said.
He urged the international community to remain vigilant against any Israeli actions that could jeopardize regional stability.
Fidan said Türkiye and Canada have grown closer through increasingly aligned positions on major regional and global issues, welcoming the U.S.-Iran cease-fire agreement and describing its extension to Lebanon as a positive development. He said Ankara hopes the truce will pave the way for lasting regional stability through diplomacy.
Reiterating Ankara’s support for diplomacy, he said Türkiye wants the conflict to end as soon as possible through dialogue and on the basis of international law.
Regarding the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara next month, Fidan said preparations are continuing at full pace, describing the gathering as a “historic” meeting.
In response to a question about the status of Turkish earthquake survivors staying in Canada on the TS2023 visa, Fidan said the two sides have discussed all visa-related matters in their meeting.
For her part, Anand said Canada is discussing nuclear energy cooperation and working toward a free trade agreement with Türkiye.
She added that conversations on possible nuclear energy cooperation are “in early days.”
In a later statement, Fidan said his two-day visit to Ottawa and Toronto, the first official bilateral visit by a Turkish foreign minister to Canada, produced productive talks that underscored the growing momentum in bilateral ties.
Thanking his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand for her hospitality, Fidan said the two countries are advancing toward a stronger partnership in line with the vision set by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
He said the sides reviewed ongoing cooperation in trade, investment, transportation and the defense industry, while working to finalize a Türkiye-Canada Free Trade Agreement as soon as possible.
Fidan also identified civilian nuclear energy as a promising area for cooperation, noting that the two ministers visited the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station near Toronto to discuss potential joint initiatives. During the visit, Fidan also met with Turkish business leaders and representatives of the Turkish and Muslim communities in Canada, reaffirming Ankara’s commitment to elevating relations with its NATO ally to a strategic level through continued high-level engagement.
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